Kimberly Lamar has been appointed as the new Director of Contracts and Grants for UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR), effective April 1, 2026. The announcement was made by Jennifer Bunge, Interim Associate Vice President for Finance and Capital Planning.
Lamar brings over two decades of research administration experience within the University of California system. She is currently serving as Interim Director and Associate Director in the UC ANR Office of Contracts and Grants. In these roles, she has supported proposal processing, contract and grant administration, research portfolio planning, and federal compliance activities across the UC ANR system.
Before joining UC ANR, Lamar held several positions in UC Davis Sponsored Programs. Her responsibilities included serving on the Negotiation Team that handled complex agreements with industry partners, federal sponsors, and nonprofit organizations.
As director, Lamar will lead contracts and grants administration at UC ANR. Her responsibilities will include overseeing proposal development, award negotiation, compliance matters, and sponsored project administration to support the organization’s research and extension mission.
“Kim is widely respected for her deep knowledge of UC and ANR research administration, experience negotiating complex agreements, and her commitment to maintaining strong service and collaboration across the organization,” said Bunge.
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources enhances lives throughout California by sharing science-based practices with communities statewide through research and outreach initiatives (https://ucanr.edu/). The organization operates offices in all 58 California counties along with nine Research and Extension Centers that serve as living laboratories in diverse ecosystems (https://ucanr.edu/). As part of the University of California system (https://ucanr.edu/), UC ANR applies university expertise to address community needs in areas such as farming, environmental conservation, wildfire protection, nutrition education, food networks, and youth programs (https://ucanr.edu/).
Glenda Humiston serves as vice president of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (https://ucanr.edu/).